There is a very clear connection to be drawn from this version of the Riddler. The level of influence from the Zodiac Killer is undeniable. However, there are also traces of the Unabomber present. For this thread, I'll go through everything I could connect from both. #TheBatman

Whether you know the Zodiac Killer as one of history's greatest unsolved cases or as Ted Cruz, everyone has heard of him. Completely unidentified, he terrorized California in the late '60s, striking randomly, and effectively. Oddly, he seemed to take pride in it.

Often taunting law enforcement and the news, creating puzzles for regular citizens to solve, it can be assumed he thought very highly of himself. Much like the Riddler, which makes this an excellent source to draw from. And they seem to have done exactly that.

To start, the obvious physical resemblance. His design, coupled with the symbol his followers use, is all based on the Zodiac. A very creative reinvention using military surplus gear, available to literally everyone, this Riddler is a homemade, neighborhood serial killer.

Even down to the voice. Paul Dano's Edward Nashton sounds very similar to the Zodiac's voice in Zodiac. He even seems to taunt in a similar way. I hope to see a lot more of that in the movie. That is true horror to me, and it would be amazing to fully implement in this character.

Moving on to other similarities, the way in which they communicate. Letters and ciphers, riddles and puzzles, they both toy with law enforcement. They take pleasure in feeling superior, in feeling ahead, uncatchable.

Even the letter is specifically designed to mimic a letter the Zodiac Killer sent to reporter Paul Avery. "From your secret friend..." // "From your secret pal..." The skeleton and Halloween theme remain in both, just another pull from our world into this one.

The Riddler is at his best when he overestimates himself, and gets cocky. That's his biggest weakness. For all his brilliance, his ego still gets in the way. Using methods similar to the Zodiac is a great way of showing how that can happen with him.

Now, this is where the Riddler deviates from the Zodiac Killer. The Zodiac didn't target specifically. He was simply a random killer. The Unabomber, however, had goals and an overall motive for his actions, just like the Riddler. They also appear to use similar techniques.

A little background on the Unabomber, he was a domestic terrorist who was angry about modern industrialization, and targeted people involved with technology. He was a math prodigy who abandoned his life and became a loner, where he developed his beliefs and plotted his attacks.

This itself sounds like a plausible theory for the Riddler. A brilliant loner, rejected by society, quietly and effectively plotting his attacks against corruption. This mix of the Unabomber and the Zodiac makes him a terrifying evil mastermind.

Like the Unabomber's attacks against a much larger idea and organization, the Riddler is targeting what is destroying Gotham from the inside. It's a safe guess that he is in some way a victim of higher-up corruption, and wants to tear it down on his terms.

While the Riddler does still commit murders himself, like the Unabomber, he also incorporates the use of bombs in his crimes. This is a pretty small similarity, but the combination of tactics used by these two killers helps him be more than just one thing. He's a major villain.

Also, a unique thought is that Edward's actual incognito persona could look and feel very similar to the Unabomber's sketch. More private and reclusive, quiet and suspicious. I definitely could see them drawing from that for when he's out of the Riddler disguise.

This Riddler is a fantastic blend of real-world criminals, original ideas, and comic accuracy that brilliantly grounds him as someone that could exist in our world. From the trailer alone, I fear him, and I am beyond excited for Paul Dano's performance.

So, what do you think? Was there anything I missed, or any different theories you have for the character? Matt Reeves is definitely working to make these characters feel real and familiar, and like Oz with Capone, I think he nailed it with the Riddler.

Edward Nashton/Riddler art credit goes to @MichaelPavement. Definitely got me motivated to finally get this thread put together. It's an amazing piece that I'd love to see you expand on.